A Pose Before Dying by Alex Erickson - 5 Stars!

Ashley Branson has a lot to prove with her new cat yoga studio, A Purrfect Pose. It's a place to find inner wellness and adopt adorable cats from the local shelter. It’s also a chance for Ash to run her own life, out from under her overbearing mother. Everything was going well until she discovers one of her new clients, a college professor, dead in her studio. Then, Ash’s brother, Hunter, becomes the prime suspect. Determined to clear his name and save her business, Ash does a deep dive into the connections the victim had with her other clients. But countless suspects, and contradictory leads mean Ash will have to stretch to the max to outthink a clever killer who’s ready to strike her down.

This was a wonderful new cozy mystery series that I hope to continue reading. I love the main character and how she's striving to make her own way in the world and not living under her family's assumptions. She's not compromising on what she wants, but taking her life day by day to making it what she believes is for the best. And I respect her for that. The plot is well written, and the mystery was confounding enough that I was surprised by the big reveal in the end. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion. 

Shock and Paw by Cate Conte - 5 Stars!

It’s the holiday season on Daybreak Island, and Maddie James is looking forward to the Christmas festivities. Word gets out that Donna Carey, the publisher of the island’s only daily newspaper, may be selling the business. Becky, Maddie's friend and local journalist, is appalled that her boss is entertaining the idea. Maddie is sympathetic, but she has her own problems, like getting pulled into the Christmas event committee, and solving the case of a cat breeder trying to sell designer cats as gifts on the island. Then Donna winds up dead. And Becky becomes the main suspect. Maddie is thrown into another murder investigation in order to save her best friend from a Christmas behind bars.

I absolutely love this cozy mystery, and I found a new series that I can devour. I love Maddie James and her family and all the side characters. The plot was very engrossing, and I kept on turning the pages long into the wee hours of the morning. I was surprised with who the culprit was in the end. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.

 

A Horse Rescue Mystery!

 

Canter With a Killer by Amber Camp
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mallory Martin moved back to her hometown of Hillspring, Arkansas, and started a horse rescue. But when her neighbor and longtime critic, Albert Cunningham, is found murdered in his show barn, Mallory becomes a suspect, and decides to take matters into her own hands, and investigate. With her horse rescue on the line, can Mallory find the truth before she loses everything?
This cozy mystery was very interesting. The characters were well written and appealing. The plot was intriguing enough to keep me interested. And, the setting was different, I never read about a horse rescue mystery. But I felt that the story was too long, and it took too long to finish. I also guessed the perpetrator from the second chapter. I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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Cupcakes, Beagles, and Murder!

 

A Killer Edition by Lorna Barrett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

With her assistant, Pixie, picking up more responsibility, Tricia Miles, owner of the Haven’t Got A Clue mystery bookshop, suddenly has a lot more time on her hands. Tricia decides to join the local animal rescue board and enter the Great Stoneham Bake-Off. When Tricia stops by Joyce Whitman's romance bookstore looking for a book, she stumbles on an argument between Joyce and her neighbor Vera Olson. When Vera turns up dead in Joyce's garden hours later, Tricia has to wonder, could Joyce be the killer? Or is the culprit still lurking in town? Tricia is determined to win the cooking contest, but first she will have to make sure no one else is in danger of getting burned.
This cozy mystery was a very intriguing read. I love reading about Tricia and her attempts to better her life and deal with the townspeople. I would love to live in a place like Stoneham with all of its wonderful bookstores. The plot was full of suspense. The mystery had enough twists and turns that I couldn’t figure out who the culprit was until the big reveal. But there was one thing that bothered me, the subject of animal abuse. Even though there were no graphic scenes of said abuse, it was related through the story. Otherwise, another great read!


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Birds, and Swindlers, and Murder, Oh My!

 

Killers of a Feather by T.C. LoTempio
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

With the grand re-opening of her Urban Tails Pet Shop just days away, Shell McMillan has her hands full planning entertainment for the event, including a fortune-telling parrot. But her mood is threatened by rumors of the return of Johnny Draco, a former investment guru who swindled money from most of the residents of Fox Hollow and then vanished without a trace. And when the parrot predicts a grim future for Draco and his dead body is found hours later, Shell realizes that people she has come to know are suspects. She investigates to find the truth behind the murder.
I liked the premise of this cozy mystery, and the characters were fun to read about. But I felt that there was something missing in the plot. There seemed to be inconsistencies with certain aspects of the main character’s investigation. I actually went back to read certain parts of the story, figuring that I might’ve missed something. Even though the story confused me at times, the ending was satisfactory. Thank you to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy of this book.


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